Hospitals and health systems have seen a 350 percent increase in ransomware attacks during the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to data from the fourth quarter of 2018, according to a Corvus Insurance report.
Researches at Corvus studied reported attacks over the past two years on healthcare facilities. Here are three things to know:
1. Healthcare facilities lack email scanning and filtering tools, allowing ransomware attacks to happen more easily. Researchers found that more than 75 percent of hospitals and health systems have not implemented email scanning tools.
2. Clinicians are 14 percent less likely to use the most basic forms of email authentication. Researchers suggest healthcare entities strongly consider adopting enhanced email security to prevent phishing attacks.
3. By adopting enhanced email security solutions, hospitals can reduce their risk of being targeted in a ransomware attack by 33 percent, according to Corvus researchers.